Not By Works

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a law-breaker. Gal2:16&17

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin(being a slave of sin) and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans6:17&18

Paul is speaking of new converts who seek to cross over from being slaves to sin when they come to Christ, into slaves of righteousness leading to holiness. You may come to Christ an alcoholic, habitual thief, blasphemer, someone who has multiple affairs for example and you may have been like this for decades. Though God will accept you as you are under a justification of faith in Christ, you cannot stay in that state, change has to come. For there is sin that would utterly dominate your life and stop you crossing over from one state to the other, crossing over from being a slave of sin to a slave of righteousness leading to holiness. You seek such a justification of your Christianity, not by striving to defeat the sin yourself, to be acceptable to God, but by faith in Christ, you trust Jesus to get you to where you need to be.
As this justification/crossing over takes time to achieve, you will be an evident sinner whilst this is taking place. And anyone who did not understand the Gospel message, seeing someone praising and worshipping God for what Christ did for them during this time, would likely ask the question. ‘If this person is saved Christ must promote sin’ Paul immediately answers the question. ‘Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed I prove I am a lawbreaker(earlier edition) If Paul returned to what he had so hard sought to destroy, and tried to defeat the sin/obey the law in order to be justified before God he would fail, and simply prove he was a lawbreaker.
Once you have crossed over from one state to the other, you are evermore led into a life of holiness.
O.k......the fact you responded so quickly seems to indicate you had your answer pre-written....that's o.k. What I said bears out and is biblical....thanks for your time and being honest in post 84,230
 

Budman

Senior Member
Mar 9, 2014
4,153
1,999
113
If you believe that then you believe is a weak, inept lying JESUS.....

How does what you say jive with the JESUS that the bible states.....

BEGINS, FINISHES and COMPLETES the work of faith he BEGINS IN US

YOU say that HE DOES NOT finish it or complete it.....so....who is lying....YOU or JESUS?

IF we believe not, HE abides faithful because HE cannot deny HIMSELF........WHO is the "WE" and the "HE" and NOTE ONE of the "WE" is an APOSTLE........

You guys have NO understanding and or know what you are talking about........you peddle this inept, liar that cannot keep his word, loses that which he has been given, yanks the irrevocable gift of LIFE and peddle a JESUS not found in scripture and to be honest it makes me sick......
Exactly.

The destiny of believers is not threatened by their acts of sin, even if they were to fall into grievous sin and stay in that condition until they die. That is what grace is all about. It is "unmerited" and remains so - forever.

Jesus is our surety. He guarantees our victory by supplying what is needed when we default. He remains faithful to His promises even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:11).

It is only our rewards that will be affected by our work or lack of work. And we can expect chastening from the Lord when we stray. And that chastening is proof positive we remain sons and daughters.
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
Exactly.

The destiny of believers is not threatened by their acts of sin, even if they were to fall into grievous sin and stay in that condition until they die. That is what grace is all about. It is "unmerited" and remains so - forever.

Jesus is our surety. He guarantees our victory by supplying what is needed when we default. He remains faithful to His promises even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:11).

It is only our rewards that will be affected by our work or lack of work. And we can expect chastening from the Lord when we stray. And that chastening is proof positive we remain sons and daughters.
I know.......no matter how I try I cannot get past the "born again from above by INCORRUPTIBLE SEED eternally by the word of GOD"

shakes head at the utter ignorance........
 

unclesilas

Active member
Feb 6, 2019
483
170
43
As Paul told the romans they used to be slaves to sin,(romans6:17) and he stated sin shall no longer be your master for you are not under law but under grace(rom6:14) if Paul the christian is being written about in romans7:14-24 that gives a couple of problems, for the person mentioned in those verses is a slave to sin(verse14) A slave always has a master, therefore sin was the persons master and he was sins slave.
So if Paul the Christian is being written about in those verses, he is writing to people who live more holy lives than he does. And Paul cannot live up to his core message of law of grace. For he is a slave to sin whilst living under grace, something he tells the romans is not the case for the believer under grace, that is the case under law.
 

gb9

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2011
12,315
6,688
113
OK, there's three denials that DC made that I have provided documentation for. It's time for the name calling to stop
you have provided documentation for what you THINK someone is saying.

where are the words " can be a believer for many years and bear no fruit"?

you claim this is being said.

where are those words?
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
You said:

"Deciding to obey and follow Jesus does not make you a Christian, although it might make you a good Catholic"

This is very contrary to the whole counsel of scripture.For example:

"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous."(I John 3:7)

It is also unnecessarily disparaging being a broad-brush of a large group of persons.
This is one line from an entire letter, that is not how we obtain truth from scripture.

John very clearly defines in his letters "righteousness" is the righteousness imputed to us through Christ.

The law is the measure whereby righteousness is measured.

However, Christians are not under the law for righteousness.
Instead, it's our faith that is counted for righteousness, Rom 4:5.

I was not disparaging Catholics, I was disparaging their doctrine and to disparage their doctrine is to let the doctrine off easy actually!!!
 

Budman

Senior Member
Mar 9, 2014
4,153
1,999
113
the prodigal son in the parable represents sinners coming to Jesus. READ THE FIRST THREE VERSES OF THE CHAPTER. The Prodigal son represents the PUBLICANS AND SINNERS. The parables were told in response to the scribes and pharisees murmering about Jesus receiving them.

I have repeated this at least a dozen times, and people still don't get it. SO the problem is not with my speech, it is with their lack of hearing or listening or whatever.

Um, they don't start out as sons!

In the parable, the Prodigal started as a son, went away as a son, and came back as a son.

They whole point to the story is one can indeed wander away from God and yet will always remain His child.

The Bible says we are not children of God by creation, only by adoption.
 
U

UnderGrace

Guest
I really do not understand your point:unsure::unsure:

What merit are you talking about:unsure::unsure::unsure:

What kind of gifts did Jesus distribute in Ephesians 4:8? And does God intend them to be used?

It is a sin to judge motives, you are not God and You guys totally have me wrong. What I am saying is intended to refute the doctrine of meritorious works.

Meritorious works teaches that our works obtain our salvation either in part or in whole

I completely refute that doctrine on the following basis...we have NOTHING that was not given to us by God

We have No Righteousness of our own to claim that we can perform any good work that will please God or commend ourselves to Him! Only the works that are performed as a result of being ENGRAFTED in Jesus. WITHOUT HIm, we can do NOTHING!

When works are done in grace they are not duty bound or slavish, they are fruits of love. And WHO DO YOU THINK PUT LOVE THERE?

And who chose our works for us, and enabled us, and equipped us and called us? God

And do our works benefit God or ourselves

And the works that God gave YOU to do, are they not a joy and a blessing, and undeserved favor to serve the KING of Kings

And is it not an unbelievable demonstration of grace that we are CHOSEN vessels of God

The when point is,but is foolish to take a wonderful, unmerited, undeserved, blessing of God and turn around and try to use it as a merit

If you guys can't see that it is a GIFT, a BLESSING, a PRIVILEDGE, an HONOR, to serve the Living God, then you are missing the joy of serving

And something that is free and brings joy and blessing is a gift in my book

We have nothing that we have not received, 1 Corinthians 4:7
 

CharliRenee

Member
Staff member
Nov 4, 2014
6,693
7,176
113
Why is this a debate that lives on and on?

He calls us...He saves us...He keeps us and we know that because we walk in His ways. When we stumble, and we do, we have His strength and Mercy to build us back up, working within us for His Glory, because He loves us very much.

What is works, in the eyes of many? Is believing a work? Is trusting a work?

Jesus died for us, not just so we could be squared away but so we could be of use to God, saving us from our own selves.

2 Corinthians 9:8 isn't about works or about salvation but what happens through salvation.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB

Do I think perserverence plays a role, do I think our faith should be seen in all that we do, don't do, say, and think, appealing for the cause of God...Yes. Do I think it possible without Him...No.

Our faith, period, brings us home and also pays Him forward in our thoughts and actions.

His work = Faith = Salvation = more of His working within = sanctification to walk with Him, in His ways, which produces more faith, not more salvation.

I just think we never want to devalue His work within, transforming us to His Glory, in all ways. We can not earn salvation but our salvation does produce evidence of Him dwelling within. How else could we examine our hearts, or spirits, or anything if salvation was not evident. I do not believe we should strive, because the great I Am thrives.

Resting in Him, though, requires walking with Him, and I know that I need Him desperately to do so.

I have mulled this over and over, trying to find harmony within all the scriptures and I finally found the answer, lol, it's all about Him, we can't do any of it without Him. And with Him, we get to have a life and purpose worth living. We get to work for God. We don't have to!!!

I use to feel I needed to pick a side on this debate, lol. I can be quite foolish sometimes. The only thing I need to pick is Him and His Glory in our lives.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
My question was(referring to Abraham):

"And if he had failed to offer his son and continued to fail when tried subsequently then what would his status/condition be?"

Your response:

" He was saved in chapter 15, god knew he would do it, because he inew his faith was real.God is omniscient, i inow thats hard for uou to understand, but its truel"

My reply to your assumption:

"Wow!!How do you even have any clue about what I understand?And you haven't answered the question.But then I don't expect you to."

How now are you saying:
" Or maybe you could show me where i misunderstood so i can answer you correctly, instead of acting this way"

Did you forget what you said?Did you forget the initial question?Do you have an answer?
I do not know who you think you are, but if you think i am going to play your childish games you are mistaken

I made a comment about abraham being saved in gen 15, your reply was what if he did not offer his son,

My response was that God knew he was foing to do it (making your question invalid, because there was no way he would not do it, if god had known his faith was dead, and he never would have responded by works, then god never would have saved him in gen 15

Your rsponse is i did not understand what you were saying

So you can either show me how i misunderstood, or move on, because i am done, you can play games with someone else.
 

Budman

Senior Member
Mar 9, 2014
4,153
1,999
113
Why is this a debate that lives on and on?

He calls us...He saves us...He keeps us and we know that because we walk in His ways. When we stumble, and we do, we have His strength and Mercy to build us back up, working within us for His Glory, because He loves us very much.

What is works, in the eyes of many? Is believing a work? Is trusting a work?

Jesus died for us, not just so we could be squared away but so we could be of use to God, saving us from our own selves.

2 Corinthians 9:8 isn't about works or about salvation but what happens through salvation.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB

Do I think perserverence plays a role, do I think our faith should be seen in all that we do, don't do, say, and think, appealing for the cause of God...Yes. Do I think it possible without Him...No.

Our faith, period, brings us home and also pays Him forward in our thoughts and actions.

His work = Faith = Salvation = more of His working within = sanctification to walk with Him, in His ways, which produces more faith, not more salvation.

I just think we never want to devalue His work within, transforming us to His Glory, in all ways. We can not earn salvation but our salvation does produce evidence of Him dwelling within. How else could we examine our hearts, or spirits, or anything if salvation was not evident. I do not believe we should strive, because the great I Am thrives.

Resting in Him, though, requires walking with Him, and I know that I need Him desperately to do so.

I have mulled this over and over, trying to find harmony within all the scriptures and I finally found the answer, lol, it's all about Him, we can't do any of it without Him. And with Him, we get to have a life and purpose worth living. We get to work for God. We don't have to!!!

I use to feel I needed to pick a side on this debate, lol. I can be quite foolish sometimes. The only thing I need to pick is Him and His Glory in our lives.
What we are trying to say (and I think Robert Wilkin said it best) is that perseverance/good works are about winning the Lord's approval, not His acceptance. He accepted us as His children when we believed in Him for eternal life. We can never lose that. But we will only enjoy His approval if we live our lives, by faith, in a manner pleasing to Him.

This life is a testing ground for the life to come. The Lord wishes for believers to prove themselves worthy of rewards and positions of rulership in His kingdom (Revelation 3:4-5). We will win what Paul calls a "prize," which is the "imperishable crown" (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).

But believers still have the free will to resist doing good works by giving in to the old nature still within us. The nature that now wars against our new nature in Christ. That invites chastisement from the Lord. Which includes taking us home before our time.

Our main point is that we will remain God's children despite our behavior, whether good or bad.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
See post #84118 which addresses this issue.You call it mere belief but the faith is dead because it has no works,not because it is fake/false/mere/bare or any other thing you may want to use to describe it.
No

Faith is dead, the result is no works.

If its dead how can it work?
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
Why is this a debate that lives on and on?

He calls us...He saves us...He keeps us and we know that because we walk in His ways. When we stumble, and we do, we have His strength and Mercy to build us back up, working within us for His Glory, because He loves us very much.

What is works, in the eyes of many? Is believing a work? Is trusting a work?

Jesus died for us, not just so we could be squared away but so we could be of use to God, saving us from our own selves.

2 Corinthians 9:8 isn't about works or about salvation but what happens through salvation.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB

Do I think perserverence plays a role, do I think our faith should be seen in all that we do, don't do, say, and think, appealing for the cause of God...Yes. Do I think it possible without Him...No.

Our faith, period, brings us home and also pays Him forward in our thoughts and actions.

His work = Faith = Salvation = more of His working within = sanctification to walk with Him, in His ways, which produces more faith, not more salvation.

I just think we never want to devalue His work within, transforming us to His Glory, in all ways. We can not earn salvation but our salvation does produce evidence of Him dwelling within. How else could we examine our hearts, or spirits, or anything if salvation was not evident. I do not believe we should strive, because the great I Am thrives.

Resting in Him, though, requires walking with Him, and I know that I need Him desperately to do so.

I have mulled this over and over, trying to find harmony within all the scriptures and I finally found the answer, lol, it's all about Him, we can't do any of it without Him. And with Him, we get to have a life and purpose worth living. We get to work for God. We don't have to!!!

I use to feel I needed to pick a side on this debate, lol. I can be quite foolish sometimes. The only thing I need to pick is Him and His Glory in our lives.
Hey sis, the debate has been going on since cain an abel, the human righteous wants to give the fruit of our labor, as payment for sin thus rejecting the grace of grace if God. the desperate sinner realises he can offer nothing

The religious responds as cain responded to abel, and as the pharisee responded to christ, Thats why it is so heated, and will always be,

Unlike other topics though, this one is not one to just pass them off peoples eternity is at stake.
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
Why is this a debate that lives on and on?

He calls us...He saves us...He keeps us and we know that because we walk in His ways. When we stumble, and we do, we have His strength and Mercy to build us back up, working within us for His Glory, because He loves us very much.

What is works, in the eyes of many? Is believing a work? Is trusting a work?

Jesus died for us, not just so we could be squared away but so we could be of use to God, saving us from our own selves.

2 Corinthians 9:8 isn't about works or about salvation but what happens through salvation.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB

Do I think perserverence plays a role, do I think our faith should be seen in all that we do, don't do, say, and think, appealing for the cause of God...Yes. Do I think it possible without Him...No.

Our faith, period, brings us home and also pays Him forward in our thoughts and actions.

His work = Faith = Salvation = more of His working within = sanctification to walk with Him, in His ways, which produces more faith, not more salvation.

I just think we never want to devalue His work within, transforming us to His Glory, in all ways. We can not earn salvation but our salvation does produce evidence of Him dwelling within. How else could we examine our hearts, or spirits, or anything if salvation was not evident. I do not believe we should strive, because the great I Am thrives.

Resting in Him, though, requires walking with Him, and I know that I need Him desperately to do so.

I have mulled this over and over, trying to find harmony within all the scriptures and I finally found the answer, lol, it's all about Him, we can't do any of it without Him. And with Him, we get to have a life and purpose worth living. We get to work for God. We don't have to!!!

I use to feel I needed to pick a side on this debate, lol. I can be quite foolish sometimes. The only thing I need to pick is Him and His Glory in our lives.
Do you believe the bible gives a fence to straddle when you have one that blends works in with faith to gain, keep or maintain salvation as opposed to one who believes it is faith and faith alone that saves a man eternally?

Show me the fence.......and make no mistake....this thread has two diametrically opposing views...one is correct the other leads to hell....and by default not making a stand makes a stand...............one of the reason churches are so screwed up today....people that will not make a stand for the sake of unity.....
 

stonesoffire

Poetic Member
Nov 24, 2013
10,665
1,829
113
Prove that the so-called gifts of Healing are REAL. A Group Students from a non-charismatic BIBLE COLLEGE went to interview, Kathryn Kulman back in the early 70's. They asked her if she had healed people with Terminal Diseases, and could she prove it, by providing a list of names from five years earlier, and Addresses of 10 of them. She said YES, and week to a file cabinet, and proceeded to copy down those ten Names and Addresses down.

They found out that while they had psychological symptoms of well being for a few days, after the supposed HEALING, all had the symptoms of the disease return, and all TEN had DIED OF THEIR DISEASE.

Conclusion, while GOD HEALS in answer to PRAYER, THE GIFT OF HEALING was a genuine MIRACLE Apostolic Gift for the Apostles ONLY, to validate the NEW TESTAMENT as it was FIRST being Spoken. He does not give the Miracle Gifts today.

Many of the so-called Faith HEALERS, are religious Con-artists, while the REST are Self Deceived.

HERE IS THE PURPOSE FOR THOSE MIRACLE GIFTS:

Mark 16:20 (NIV)
20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and
the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
That's not what I believe. I come from faith parents, grandparents and down the line. I vaguely remember being ill as a child, and relatives gathered around my bed. I was healed by those prayers. Was badly burned then around the age of 5 and my grandmother was taking care of me. Parents both worked. No car, no phone at the time, and she prayed for me. I had no pain. I remember the skin hanging on those burns but no pain.

I could relate many experiences of life and God healing. But, also have had health problems not entirely taken away either.

The Lord has never stopped confiming His Word preached by signs and wonders. People have trusted more in medicine, not saying this is bad either. I believe the medical fields advances has also been blessings from the Lord. The doctors and nurses aren't the enemy as some Christians have portrayed them.
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
113
Hey sis, the debate has been going on since cain an abel, the human righteous wants to give the fruit of our labor, as payment for sin thus rejecting the grace of grace if God. the desperate sinner realises he can offer nothing

The religious responds as cain responded to abel, and as the pharisee responded to christ, Thats why it is so heated, and will always be,

Unlike other topics though, this one is not one to just pass them off peoples eternity is at stake.
One of the things that has always disgusted me is believers that will not make a stand for the sake of unity while being oblivious to the truth that NOT making a stand on the truth is making a stand.............